1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a baby bottle assembly having a flexible straw extending therefrom wherein the flexible straw includes an outer free-end having a one-way valve and nipple structure mounted thereon.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of baby bottles having a nipple mounted on the opening has been known to the consuming public for many years. The baby bottles which exist in the prior art include a nipple structure which is commonly mounted to the bottle opening through the use of a threaded collar which supports the nipple and threadably engages the opening of the baby bottle. In such a manner, the nipple structure can be detached from the bottle when empty and a new supply of fluid can be replaced for the next feeding.
A common problem associated with most baby bottles in the prior art is the need to prevent air from coming through the nipple while the baby is feeding. If too much air is taken in during feeding, the baby may suffer a great amount of discomfort caused by trapped gas. To prevent this from happening, the bottle has to be held in an inverted position so that the fluid in the bottle surrounds the nipple at the bottle opening and any air in the bottle is displaced towards the base of the bottle thereby reducing the amount of air which is taken in through the nipple. However, it is often difficult to feed the baby with the bottle in an inverted position, especially when the baby is seated upright in a chair while riding in a car or watching TV. In this instance, the baby bottles commonly found in the prior art require that the baby's head be tilted back sufficiently to allow the bottle to be held in an inverted position. Because babies are often fidgety and difficult to keep still, it is often impossible to feed the baby when he or she is seated in an upright position. Accordingly, there is a need in the prior art for a baby bottle and nipple assembly which a young child can hold in his lap in a vertical position when the child is seated upright watching TV or riding in a car.